The truth about online home shopping

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The start of a home search for nearly everyone starts online…. Zillow.com, Trulia.com, realtor.com.  There are a ton of sites out there for people to view homes for sale, recently sold, or even get an estimate on what these sites think the value of a home is.  The problem is, this information can be widely inaccurate and this ultimately leads to disappointment & frustration for home shoppers & sellers alike.  Let me explain.

Not all homes for sale are syndicated on these public sites.

  • It is up to the seller to decide if they want their home listed on these public sites or not.  Therefore, all homes that are listed for sale on the real estate MLS ( multiple listing service) site are not necessarily shown for sale on the public sites.  Your dream property may not even coming up in your search, but it’s sitting right there on MLS.  To get a true picture of what is out there for sale, you’ll want to talk with a realtor.

Data is not refreshed in a timely manner.

  • The 3rd party sites aren’t always refreshed in a timely manner so what may still look like an active listing for sale on Zillow is actually under contract on MLS.  I’ve even had a buyer send me a house for sale on Zillow to get my opinion and when I looked at MLS, it was sold months ago.  You don’t want to fall in love with a house online to then see it’s not even for sale.

Data is not complete.

  • MLS has hundreds of fields that realtors can fill in to give a complete picture of what the home has.  The online public sites only have a fraction of that.  So if you have a specific requirement in a home, you may think it’s perfect from your search online, but once you actually see the home or your realtor does the digging for you, it turns out to be missing one of your requirements.

Online home value estimates are widely inaccurate.

  • These public sites are using an algorithm and do not take into account the true details of a house.  The public sites don’t know about improvements that have been made to the home and if information like the number of bedrooms or square footage is off, the online estimate will be off.  These sites also use comparable sales for their data points and what they think is a comp, may not be a comparable property when you look at the true factors of the houses.

Even with these points, I do still support buyers shopping online.  It is a good way to get a taste of the different types of homes & a general idea of what is out there.  Once a buyer has spent time searching online, the safest bet is to share what they found with a realtor and go look at the homes in person.  Pictures online can be hiding some important characteristics about the home and you can only get the true picture until you are on the property.

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If you have been poking around online on your own and you want to share with a REALTOR® what you have been looking at in Colorado, I’d love to help!  Please email me at beth@goodacreproperties.com or reach out via the contact information below:

Important Home Health Items

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As a REALTOR®, I help my buyers ensure they are taking the appropriate measures to validate that the home they are buying is safe for their family.  Typically this involves an inspection by a certified inspector during the transaction period.  As standard practice, the inspector will do a whole-home inspection, but there are often optional add-ons to test for items that can cause serious health concerns.  Being aware of a few key items that can be of concern is important so you can ask the right questions to the inspector, request the right tests, and be knowledgeable moving forward living in your home.

Here are three important items to be made aware of:

#1 ~ Lead

Homes built before 1978 have a high likelihood of containing lead-based paint.  Lead can be dangerous if not managed properly and disturbing surfaces with lead-based paint or removing lead-based paint improperly can increase the danger to your family.  If you are buying, renting, or renovating a home built before 1978 and have children under the age of 6, you may want to have it checked for lead-based paint.  Lead is especially dangerous to children under the age of 6 because their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead.  However, be aware that lead-based paint is usually not a hazard if it is in good condition and if it is not on an impact or friction surface like a window.  Always keep painted surfaces in good condition to minimize deterioration.

Visit here for more info on lead.

#2 ~ Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral substance whose fibers were mixed into many products, including building materials.  In the 70s and 80s, reports started to emerge that inhaling the small fibers of asbestos could cause health complications including lung cancer. Since then, the US government has restricted the use of asbestos, but that still leaves us with many homes that were built with materials containing asbestos.  The top 5 products that you can find asbestos in are:

  • Popcorn ceilings
  • Asbestos ceiling tiles popular between 1950s – 1980s, often found in kitchen ceilings or remodeled basement areas
  • Vinyl floor tiles – the most commonly produced vinyl tile product containing asbestos was the 9×9 inch tile that was sealed to floors with adhesive.
  • Heating duct pipe wrapping – asbestos insulation was widely used on heating pipes and sometimes on water pipes.
  • Vermiculite –  a popular attic insulation material used in houses built from 1900-1940s

Be aware that asbestos is not considered harmful unless it is damaged or disturbed in some way, which could release the dangerous fibers into the air. As the EPA states: “Asbestos-containing materials that aren’t damaged or disturbed are not likely to pose a health risk. Usually, the best thing is to leave asbestos-containing material alone if it is in good condition.”

Visit here for more info on asbestos.

#3 ~ Radon

Radon is toxic gas that is derived from naturally decaying uranium in the soil. Uranium is naturally found in our soils all across the nation, and is especially prevalent in Colorado.  Uranium can be found below homes both new or old and as it decays, it releases radon gas.  The radon gas rises to the surface and can rise through gaps and cracks in a homes foundation or walls.  It is odorless, colorless, and tasteless and can only be detected with radon testing equipment.  It is considered to be carcinogenic by the World Health Organization (WHO) and a leading cause of lung cancer.

The Environmental Protection Agency sets radon safety levels at 4.0 pCi/L (pico-curies-per-liter) and if a home is found to have radon levels at or above this, it is advised to do radon mitigation.  Since radon can be found below homes both new or old, it would be a wise safety measure to always do a radon test within the inspection period.

Visit here for more info on radon.

If an inspector does uncover any of these items during the inspection period, you can speak with your realtor about options on how to move forward.  Most important is that you are aware of the concerns and can make a smart decision on how you want to move forward.

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If you need assistance from a REALTOR® to help in your Boulder-Denver area home search, I would love to help!!  Please reach out via email at beth@goodacreproperties.com or through the contact info below.

Home Renovation Projects that Boost Resale Value of Your Home

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Many home buyers that are considering home renovation projects usually want to make sure they are investing in something that will raise home values and appeal to home buyers. Even if there are no plans to sell soon, it is wise to keep resale in mind for home renovation projects.  Prioritizing your spending into areas of the home that will help boost resale values is a smart approach.  Read more for tips on how to help with your planning:

  • Kitchens.  Nearly every buyer is pleased when they see a beautiful kitchen, even buyers that aren’t afraid of projects.  Kitchen remodels can be expensive so even if the rest of the house needs work, buyers are happy to see that one project checked off the list.  If you are planning any home project, starting with a kitchen update really should pay off in the end.   Overall make sure the layout is functional – does the flow work for cooking & entertaining?  Know that plenty of counterspace & storage is important to buyers and many will be pleased with an island in the kitchen as long as it doesn’t make the space too cramped.  New energy-efficient appliances will benefit you as a homeowner and look appealing to future buyers.  Finally, if you are going to update things like cabinets, countertops, the backsplash, and lighting try to stay with design decisions that are timeless.  Any unique features that only appeal to a certain type of audience will narrow the pool of buyers that appreciate the work put into the kitchen.
  • Bathrooms.  After the kitchen is done, move onto the bathrooms.  Same rule applies with keeping the updates appealing to a broad audience.  You want to create an attractive space that has a clean and updated feel.   You can still have fun with your updates – maybe consider an accent wall behind the vanity or toilet or new, modern mirrors & lighting.  Keep in mind that many buyers still want at least one tub in their home so don’t plan to get rid of all bathtubs in your house, no matter how trendy those stand-alone showers are.
  • Energy efficiency.  The next item that will pay off for both you as a homeowner & for resale is how efficient the home is.  Check the age of the furnace or boiler, hot water heater, & A/C units – consider updating with new models that work more efficiently. Leaky doors and windows affect your heating and cooling bills and is something buyers will notice.  If you don’t want to replace your windows & doors, you can update weather-stripping or reseal the windows to see if that helps.  If you have poor insulation in the house, you can improve the quality of the insulation.
  • Exterior.  First impression makes a difference so investing in exterior updates will be beneficial as well.  Consider an exterior paint refresh, especially if you have chipping or fading paint. If you are looking for a change, but don’t want to repaint the whole house, choose a fresh new color for the front door.  For an affordable update that makes a big difference, swap out any exterior lights that may not be working or are outdated and replace with a fresh, modern look.  Lastly, investing in your yard and garden will help you better enjoy your home & have buyers see that you not only have a great house, but a great property.  Be careful with adding unique additions that may turn away future buyers such as an elaborate water feature.  A koi pond, for example, may look beautiful to some, but to others it may just look like a lot of work or even a dangerous hazard to a buyer like a family with young children.
  • Look at your floors.  If you have carpet, tiling, or wood floors that have seen better days, investing in an upgrade or refresh for the floors will be a smart decision. Flooring can really stand out — making the whole house feel clean & inviting or put off the opposite effect if the floors are in bad shape.   Focus on what you can afford – making sure to at least to update the flooring in the rooms you renovate (such as the kitchen & bathrooms) and expect to have to price the house accordingly if the floors in other areas of the home really need work.

If resale value is a major concern of yours, talking to a local REALTOR® to get their advice before starting the project can be very beneficial.  If you are in the Boulder/Denver area, I would love to help!  Please reach out via the contact information below or email me at beth@goodacreproperties.com.

Thinking of Selling Your Home? Top 5 Things to do First

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The idea of selling your home usually comes upon slowly as you start to think about life changing events that may make you want to sell.  Possibly your family is growing and you need more space or you’re going to be empty nesters and would prefer to downsize. Whatever your scenario is, having a plan going into listing your home is a great idea. Here are my top 5 things you will want to think about before listing your home for sale:

  1. Talk with a REALTOR® you trust.  My advice is that it is never too early to loop in a REALTOR®.  They can give you insight on things like the best month to list your home, some suggestions for updates to make to your home to maximize your profits, and prepare you for what to expect.
  2. If you will be listing a few months out, now is a good time to start sprucing up your home.  Tackle those projects that you know must be done — from cosmetic updates that will be eyesores to potential buyers to the big items that you know may come up in an inspection.  It can’t hurt to service items like the central A/C unit, furnace, and have the chimney cleaned.
  3. Organize dates & documents that buyers may request like age of the roof, age of appliances, dates of latest services, HOA documents, typical monthly utility bills, and warranties.  This will help answer questions from serious buyers considering purchasing your home & save time during the transaction.  You cannot hide from bad news with your house — seller’s failure to disclose known material defects with the house may result in legal liability.
  4.  Consider your options for “where to next” and plan for the scenario where your home sells fast.  If you are planning on buying another home, remember that it usually takes at least 30 days to close on a home if you are getting a loan.  You are going to want to talk with your REALTOR® about your options if you are buying & selling at the same time, as well as a lender if you plan to get a loan on your next home purchase. You don’t want to be left homeless with no plan in place!
  5. Start to de-clutter and prepare for the move.  Less “stuff” in a house looks better to potential buyers and will help make the transaction period less stressful for you. You will have a lot of to-dos with the real estate transaction itself, the less stress you have with packing up & moving, the more you will thank yourself.

Once you & your home are prepared for the sale, your REALTOR® will get to work listing your home for sale.  You may want to review my past blogs on “Improving Your Home’s First Impression” &  The Seller’s Roadmap to further prepare yourself for the sales process.

Once your home is listed – support your REALTOR® and respect their opinion on the process.  Try to be as flexible as you can with showings & open houses and keep your house clean & presentable.  The easier it is for buyers to come in and see your home, the more traffic you will get with prospective buyers.  The more enjoyable the experience is for the buyer in your home, the more positive of an impression it will have on them.

Good luck & happy selling!

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If you need assistance from a local REALTOR® to sell your home in the Boulder-Denver areas, I would love to help!!  Please reach out via email at beth@goodacreproperties.com or through the contact info below.

 

Finding the Right Neighborhood In Your Home Search

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If you’re a home-buyer searching for your perfect home, you probably have a checklist of criteria that you are looking for: certain number of bedrooms, bathrooms, a modern kitchen maybe, or open floor plan.  One thing that should be high on your list too (and can be overlooked) is the community and neighborhood.  Factors like walkability, HOA (Home Owners Associations), access to walking trails, schools, even neighbors’ upkeep of their homes should all be something to consider too.  Trulia words it perfectly in a recent article I read:

“You can knock down walls and repaint your new home all you want, but when it comes to your neighborhood, you take it as it is. But if you choose the right one, that can be great news.” 

Here are five tips to help you choose a home in a community that is right for you.

  1. Overall ask yourself about the type of scene you are looking for in a neighborhood – a quiet one or a more lively scene.  You may love hanging out in a particular part of town, but when it actually comes to living there, you may find that all the other people hanging out there too & making noise isn’t exactly what you had in mind.
  2. How did you feel on your first impression of the neighborhood?  Did you mind that there were RVs and cars parked all around on the road and in driveways? Did you see many houses that are run down or yards that need work?  Neighborhood associations often have rules around parking on the roads, general upkeep, and even aesthetics of the houses.  If you are concerned about the appearance of your neighborhood as a whole, maybe a one with a HOA is the right for you.  If you didn’t have a good feeling at first of a particular neighborhood, you may want to stick to your gut.
  3.  Decide if walkability is important to you and if so – make sure you understand what is defined as within walking distance.  For example – if you see a house listed as highly walkable, you may have an image of walking to cute “Mom & Pop” shops and cafés only to realize, it is walking distance to a strip mall with only fast food chains and a gas station.  Go visit the house and park the car… walk around and get a feel for the neighborhood & the walks you will go on.
  4. While you are out walking, talk to the neighbors.  What better way to really hear the ins and outs of an area than from a neighbor that already lives there.  There may be complaints or positive features that aren’t obvious from you quick visits.
  5. Check the surrounding features such as whether there are parks or walking trails close to the house.  Also look for elements that may affect the day-to-day living like being near a loud, active train or even a tourist attraction that will bring heavy traffic.  It is also good to look at the school ratings in the area even if you don’t have children as higher rating schools will be better for resale.

In the end, you want to get into a home you love in an area that is right for you.  Taking the extra steps to really study the area as much as the home will pay off in the end.

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If you or anyone you know needs help on their Boulder-Denver home buying search, I’d love to help!  Please reach out through the contact form below or emailing me at beth@goodacreproperties.com.

 

 

 

 

Selling? Improve Your Home’s First Impression.

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Your home’s first impression for a home-buyer is most often online.  How your home looks in those pictures can make a major difference on whether you will get a buyer in to your home to look at it or not.  As a realtor, I sometimes cringe looking at the quality of photos posted of a home or the messiness of a house which stands out more than the natural beauty of the home itself.  You don’t want this to be your house so read more for tips to help get your house picture-perfect ready:

#1.  Make sure you take care of the major items to prepare your home for sale like touching-up paint, making necessary repairs around the house such as broken or damaged items, cleaning carpets of obvious stains, and sprucing up your yard.  You want your house to be in it’s best shape to get top dollar.  See my earlier blog on The Seller’s Roadmap if you aren’t sure on the process of selling your home.

#2.  Make sure you hire a realtor that will coordinate professional photos for you.  Most realtors should offer to pay for these photos – if they try to convince you they can just take the photos on their phone, I’d highly suggest you start looking for a new realtor! You (and your home) deserve better.  Professional photos will help make your home shine.

#3.  Talk with your realtor about whether it is worth the investment to stage your home.  Houses that are vacant or have furniture that have seen better days may really benefit from home staging.

#4.  A few days before the pictures, take an afternoon to prepare your home for the photos.  This includes:

  • Putting away & organizing major clutter.  Try to clean off counters, tops of furniture (such as coffee tables & desks), tidy up shelving that may be overflowing with personal items, tuck away pet supplies, and put away laundry.
  • Minimize toiletries in bathrooms & freshen the space.  Too many products on the counters may imply there is not enough storage.  Plan for the photographer to open shower curtains for the photos so try to keep the shower/bathtub clean & clutter-free.
  • Check all light bulbs and replace ones that are burnt out.  The photographer will likely want all the lights turned on and it will look funny if one of two bathroom lights are out, for example.  Don’t forget exterior lights!
  • Do a thorough clean of your house.  Consider a professional carpet clean if the carpets are particularly dirty & stains visible.
  • Spruce up the yard and outdoor space.  Wash off dirty outdoor furniture, clean-up the yards and gardens, pull any dead plants, mow the lawn, put away children’s toys and games.
  • Feel free to add some additional greenery inside or out with plants, but be careful about dating the pictures to a specific holiday in case your house doesn’t sell as quickly as you hope.
  • Hide electrical cords, including any jumble of wires that may be visible under your TV console or desk.

#5. On the day of the photos, you’ll want to do a final run through sprucing up your property.

  • Clean counter-tops and do another round of de-cluttering.  Put away the majority of items on the kitchen counters such as dish drying racks, extra appliances, utensil holders, spices, etc.  You want to make your counters look as spacious as possible.
  • Wipe down hardwood & tiled floors and try to get your appliances to shine, especially stainless steel that easily show smudges.
  • Make all the beds and ensure pillows & throws look tidy on furniture.
  • Clean windows of smudges & dirt which can show up in photos and take away from the pretty windows or views.
  • Toilet seats down & neatly fold any hand towels around the house.
  • Turn on all lights – don’t expect the photographer to do that for you.

Finally, after the photos are taken – it is still important to keep the house in excellent condition for the showings.  Nice photos will help get people into your house, but you want them to be impressed once they are there too.  Keep the house clean, tidy, and odor free while the house is on the market!

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If you are thinking about selling your home in the Boulder/Denver area, I would love to help.  I always provide professional photos for my clients, advice on updates or tips to help the house sell for top dollar, an innovative & custom marketing campaign around each listing, and I always strive to exceed my client’s expectations with exceptional client service.  Please email me below for more information on how we can work together & to see my sample listing marketing plan.

 

 

 

The Home Buying Process

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As a follow-up to my last blog about the home selling process, here is a guide for the other side of a real estate transaction – the home-buying process.  As with selling your home, the process to buy a house can seem complex and confusing at times.  Luckily, you can get help from a real estate professional who will guide you through the process every step of the way.  One thing some first-time home buyers don’t realize is that in most circumstances, the agent’s commission is paid for by the seller of the home, not the buyer.  So this means your representation should cost you nothing!

When you meet with a real estate professional, you will want to discuss what you are looking for in a home & ideal location so they know the parameters of your home search.  Your realtor will likely ask you pretty early on if you will be requiring a loan or paying cash.  If you are getting a loan, you will want to get pre-approved by a lender right away. This helps ensure you are searching for homes in an accurate price-range and when it is time to put an offer on a house, you can quickly have a pre-approval letter to give with your offer showing you can afford a house of that amount.  Having this pre-approval completed at the start will make the process move a lot more smoothly.  If you aren’t sure where to start with finding a lender, your broker may be able to provide recommendations.

The fun part is searching for a home!  Your realtor will search for homes in your criteria & schedule showings as appropriate.  When you are looking at homes, it is important to think beyond just the obvious like number of rooms, size of kitchen, and age of the roof.  You may want to visit my blog post about important things to consider when buying a house.  There is no magic number on the amount of homes you should see before you make an offer.  I always tell my buyers you need to have the right feeling with a house – you should feel at home in it to know it is right for you.  Once you find the right home, your agent will prepare the offer based on the price and terms you choose.  Often there will be some form of negotiation on both sides and once the parties come to an agreement, you are under contract!

The contract will dictate the dates, deadlines, & terms that must be met before closing & possession – these include items like the inspection, appraisal, due diligence documents, record & off-record title, property insurance, loan deadlines, and more.  Your broker should keep you up to speed on all upcoming deadlines and what to expect.  If you are getting a loan, you will also be getting a lot of requests from the lender on information you need to provide.  Staying on top of both of these will help make the process as smooth as possible and not risk delaying close (or worst case, terminating the contract).

The last deadlines will be the closing date & possession (not always the same date).  Closing is the transfer of funds and ownership & the day we are all looking forward to!  A title company or an attorney typically acts as an independent third-party to facilitate the closing.  Post closing & at the time of possession you can celebrate your new home and the new title of being a home owner!  Congratulations!!

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I would love to help you find your next home!  Please contact me below if you have any questions on the home buying process or would like to discuss how I can help you with you real estate needs.  Visit my testimonials page to see what others have to say about working with me.

The Seller’s Roadmap

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Selling your home can be an emotional process so it’s best to go into it knowing what to expect.  If you are thinking of selling your home, you will first want to meet with a real estate professional so they can help walk you through the steps to getting your home sold.  There is no commitment for that initial meeting – you are ensuring that you & the real estate broker will work well together and the work the broker will put into selling your home is what you expect (and deserve!).  The broker will do a market analysis and pull comparable homes that have sold recently to determine an appropriate price for the house.  As difficult as it may be, it is important to review the facts and be open-minded about the price the agent is providing.  Many sellers have an emotional tie to their home and may see their home in a more subjective light than the traditional buyer will.

If you decide to move forward with listing your home, you will want to prepare your home to be sold.  A good real estate broker should be able to help provide insight into what buyers will be looking for – plan to be open-minded in hearing their recommendations.  Your broker is offering advice based on a broad buyer audience, whereas your style may be more for one particular taste.  You will want your home to be in the best possible condition so plan on things like touching-up paint, making repairs for defects such as a broken door or leaky roof, de-clutter, enhance your home’s curb-appeal, eliminate odors, and clean to make your house shine.

Once your home is ready, your broker will list it for sale.  At a minimum, your broker will put up a for-sale sign and list it in the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service).  You deserve more than this so ensure your real estate broker will be putting forward a full marketing plan to sell your home from events to advertising, social media, direct outreach, professional photos, and more.  The job of a real estate agent is to MARKET your property to get it sold.  You need an agent that knows how to do marketing to get the home sold quickly and at a sale price you are happy with.  Please contact me below for a sample of my marketing plan for listing homes.

When an offer (or multiple offers) come in on your home, your broker will work with you to help you decide which offer to move forward with or negotiate on.  When all parties agree to the offer, the contract is signed and you are officially under contract.  Be prepared for many deadlines & commitments in the following weeks to get the sale closed.  On top of preparing to move and meeting all seller obligations, it is going to be a very busy couple of weeks.  Assuming each date & deadline is met and no one defaults on the contract, the transaction is complete with the closing & agreed upon possession date & time.  Cheers!!

Download the Seller’s Roadmap here.

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I would love to help you sell your home in CO.  Please contact me below to see my sample marketing plan for listing homes & I would be happy to schedule a no-obligations meeting to discuss your real estate needs.

 

Is This Your Year to Become a Homeowner?

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Have you been thinking about purchasing a home for a while now but, haven’t acted on taking the first step?  Buying a home can seem daunting and you may have more questions than answers which may be what’s holding you back.  It’s true that buying a home may be one of the biggest investments you may make financially, but it doesn’t need to be a scary process.  Getting a good understanding of your finances & what to expect with purchasing a home may help you decide if you are ready to take the next step to start the home buying process.  Below are some key things to start to look into.

  1. Credit Report. A very basic, yet important factor in your ability to buy a home is your credit rating.  The best interest rates & more flexible loan terms are available to those with the strongest credit scores.  You should understand what your credit score is and ensure that the items they are reporting on are correct.  There are three major credit reporting agencies you can contact for your credit score: Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion.
  2. How much home can I afford?  This is probably your biggest question and something you’ll want to accurately know the answer to in order to not be disappointed later in your home search.  To get the most accurate answer, you’re going to want to have a conversation with a lender.  A lender should help evaluate your current financial situation, as well take into account your future plans that may affect how you think about your home purchase & investment.
  3. Lending Options. Banks are not the only source anymore for obtaining a loan to buy a home, there are plenty of other options and it is suggested you shop around to find a lender.
    • Mortgage Bankers loan their own money and then usually sell the loan to recapture their original money plus a small profit.
    • Mortgage Loan Brokers are in the business of matching buyers & homeowners with lenders that are likely to finance them.  The buyer usually picks up the fee for this service.
    • Financial Institutions are commonly known as traditional banks or “prime” lenders.
    • Private Lenders usually refers to sellers who are open to owner financing.
    • Some Credit Unions do issue mortgages for their members and generally can beat the rate of the bank, or at least offer the same.
  4. Pre-Approval.  Once you narrow down which type of lender can best meet your needs, the next step is to get pre-approved for a loan.  This is not the same as pre-qualification.  Pre-qualification is an estimate of how much you can afford in a mortgage payment and simply means that the lender has looked at the information and that there is a high probability that the purchaser will qualify for the requested loan.  Pre-approval is a firmer commitment on behalf of the mortgage company & is a more formal process including a credit check & employment verification.  A seller is likely to view you as a more capable buyer if you are pre-approved which can give you an advantage as a buyer in the marketplace.  It is wise to obtain pre-approval at the beginning of the buying process so you know how much home you can afford and risk not qualifying for a home you go under contract with.
  5. Upfront Fees & Expenses.  Most homebuyers are aware that they need money for a down payment, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be 20%.  The best way to know how much you need for a down payment is to talk with a lender – you may qualify for less percent down.  On top of the down payment, there are more costs that you will need to plan for.  Money will need to be allocated for costs associated with the loan, earnest money with your offer, costs for inspections, cost for an appraisal, possibly a new survey or an ILC, and closing costs. Finally, don’t forget about a cushion for things like actually moving and buying items to get settled in your new home.

With these steps taken care of, you may gain the confidence you needed to start searching for your perfect house!

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If you are ready to embark on your mission of finding a home in Colorado – I can be with you for every step of the way.  The process will not be overwhelming with a REALTOR® you can trust.  Please contact me to discuss your real estate goals: